Gerbera plant named `Garsweetcaro&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘Garsweetcaro’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with bright orange-colored ray florets with yellow-colored apices; upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GARSWEETCARO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Garsweetcaro’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact garden Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences, resistant to cold temperatures and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination made during the spring of 2011 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 08T013, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 09T231, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the summer of 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the autumn of 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Garsweetcaro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Garsweetcaro’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Numerous inflorescences with bright orange-colored ray         florets with yellow-colored apices.     -   4. Upright and strong scapes.     -   5. Good garden performance and relatively tolerant to cold         temperatures.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have broader leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter scapes than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in inflorescence size as plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘Garglow Imp’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,784. Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Garglow Imp’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Garglow Imp’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller inflorescences than         plants of ‘Garglow Imp’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Gerbera are lighter orange         in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Garglow Imp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Garsweetcaro’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 15° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photograph was taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘Garsweetcaro’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 08T013, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 09T231, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to             26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennial that is typically grown as             a container or garden plant; compact and uniformly mounding             plant habit; upright, broadly spreading and roughly             flattened globular in shape; numerous leaves arranged in             basal rosettes; dense and bushy habit; inflorescences held             above the foliar plane on erect and strong basal scapes; low             vigor to moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 18.8             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             34.9 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 39.6 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 17.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to narrowly ovate; runcinate; slightly             curved.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely and irregularly angulate; sinuses medium to             deep and divergent; undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Glabrous, moderately             rugose; slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately to densely             pubescent, slightly rugose; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             NN137A and 141A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             between 138A and 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to NN137A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to             144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.7 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Strength: Moderate to strong.             Color, upper surface: Close to 152D; fading proximally to             close to 179C. Color, lower surface: Close to 152D; fading             proximally to close to 179D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary inflorescences             borne on upright and strong scapes and held above the foliar             plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum; inflorescences face upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three months             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from spring to late autumn; plants can be             flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about 14 open and developing inflorescences per plant at one             time.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             1.8 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster:             Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 143B             and 143C; immature ray florets, close to 150C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.8 cm. Diameter of disc: About 3.7 cm. Receptacle             height: About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 145D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 60 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Orientation:             Proximally, about 40° from vertical; distally, close to             horizontal. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Finely emarginate to finely praemorse.             Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; longitudinally             ridged; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately velvety; longitudinally ridged; matte.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N25A; towards             the apex, fading to close to 13A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 4A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             25A; towards the apex, fading to close to 9A; color not             changing with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 7D; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 massed at             center of receptacle in about eleven whorls. Length: About             1.2 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Tubular with upper two             narrow free lobes and one broader free lobe. Apex: Acute;             upper 42.5%, free. Base: Lower 57.5%, fused. Margin, free             lobes: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety; matte. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; very slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color:             When opening, inner and outer surface: Proximally, close to             5D; distally, close to 5B. Fully opened, inner and outer             surface: Proximally, close to 5D; distally, close to 7C to             7D.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: About 60. Length:             About 7 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture and luster:             Soft; matte. Color: Close to 161B to 161C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 60 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width (at base): About 2 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely to moderately             pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             143B. Color, lower surface: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: Proximally, about 5             mm; distally, about 3.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Angle: About 8° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Moderately to densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color:             Proximally, close to 144A; distally, close to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             6 mm. Filament color: Close to 150C to 150D. Anther shape:             Ligulate; basifixed. Anther size: About 4 mm by 0.3 mm.             Anther color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 13B. Gynoecium (present only on ray and disc             florets): Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About             8.5 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft.             Stigma color: Close to 4C. Style length: About 8 mm. Style             color: Close to 4D. Ovary color: Close to 157D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Gerbera to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of the new Gerbera     grown under commercial production conditions to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘Garsweetcaro’ as illustrated and described. 